Madigan, Jones looking beyond temporary state budget

Saturday

Jul 28, 2007 at 12:01 AMJul 28, 2007 at 10:08 PM

Gov. Rod Blagojevich called on Illinois lawmakers Friday to pass another one-month budget, but House Speaker Michael Madigan said he thinks a budget for the entire fiscal year could be in place by next week.

Doug Finke

Gov. Rod Blagojevich called on Illinois lawmakers Friday to pass another one-month budget, but House Speaker Michael Madigan said he thinks a budget for the entire fiscal year could be in place by next week.
Blagojevich issued a proclamation Friday calling the General Assembly into special session at 9 a.m. today to consider a second one-month budget. The temporary budget that kept state government operating in July expires at midnight Tuesday.
“To avoid a costly government shutdown potentially injurious to the health, safety and welfare of Illinois, the General Assembly must pass, at a minimum, a second temporary one-month budget,” Blagojevich said in the proclamation.
Both Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, though, said they are focusing their efforts on crafting a permanent budget.
“It’s my intent to work with the leaders to try and fashion a budget that would take care of the entire year,” Jones said. “The deadline date (of Aug. 1) is no magical date. It does not have to be done on that date.”
However, in an interview on WLS radio, Madigan said it is possible to have a budget deal done soon.
“I think we can do a 12-month budget before Tuesday or Wednesday of next week,” Madigan said.
Shortly after lawmakers approved a one-month budget to keep government operating in July, Blagojevich said a series of temporary budgets would be unacceptable because they don’t contain the increased state spending on health care and education that he wants.
“A continuing string of of one-month budgets is nothing more than a Republican budget in disguise,” Blagojevich said June 29.
Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said the governor still feels that way, but “we don’t want to see government shut down.”
Madigan and Jones, along with House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, and Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, began meeting Thursday without Blagojevich in the room. They continued that approach Friday.
“I found it to be a very productive meeting,” Madigan said on WLS radio in Chicago. “We identified the areas of difference and had some very productive discussions as to how we could find sufficient revenue to pay for, say, an increase in education.”
Jones downplayed the fact Blagojevich was not at the meetings.
“Don’t make a point of him not being there,” Jones said. “We are the legislative branch of government, which has to do something. You reporters have a way of trying to twist things around. We are trying to mediate a very delicate situation.”
Weeks of meetings featuring Blagojevich along with the four legislative leaders produced no concrete results.
Blagojevich and Jones want significantly more money for health care and education, to be financed by eliminating business tax breaks and greatly expanding gambling. The other three men want a more limited budget that relies mainly on increased tax collections created by economic expansion.
On Friday, Jones said the leaders were working on a budget that will provide more money for education and possibly for a construction bond program. He did not mention Blagojevich’s universal health care plan, which the governor wants to fund with a $1 billion payroll tax.
“Everyone has to be willing to give to get it done,” Jones said.
Although the temporary budget expires Tuesday, the state would not face an immediate financial crisis.
“The drop-dead dates don’t really begin until the ninth of August,” said Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, the Senate Democrats’ lead budget negotiator. “The first (of August) is not that day.”
Another temporary budget would be more difficult to craft. For example, the state does not make school aid payments in July, but does in August.
At least one state operation will not shut down in August even if a budget is not approved. Secretary of State Jesse White send a letter to all 3,700 of his employees telling them to report to work no matter what.
“If a shutdown does occur, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office will remain open and employees are required to work their normal schedules,” White said. “Employees will be compensated, as always, for this time.”
White spokesman Dave Druker said all secretary of state facilities will maintain their regular hours. Employees who don’t show up for work will have to use sick time or vacation days.
“The secretary feels the taxpayers don’t get the day off, so the employees should be working,” Druker said.
Doug Finke of GateHouse News Service can be reached at (217) 788-1527 or doug.finke@sj-r.com.